Psalm 29 Grammar

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v. 1

v. 2

v. 3

• Most translations render this as a verbless clause: "the voice of YHWH is over the waters." However, "the word קול followed by a genitive, is quite often used as an exclamatory particle: the sound of... !" See The Syntactic Function of קוֹל יְהוָה in Ps 29.

v. 4

• As in the previous verse, most translations render these as verbless clauses: "the voice of YHWH is in/with power..." (= "the voice of YHWH is powerful"). However, as in the previous, the expression קול יהוה is probably an exclamation. See The Syntactic Function of קוֹל יְהוָה in Ps 29.

vv. 5-6

• The suffix on וַיַּרְקִידֵ֥ם (Ps. 29:6a) has been interpreted in the following ways:
  • as an enclitic-mem (i.e., "an additional mem which may potentially occur at the end of any grammatical form"))
  • as a 3mp pronominal suffix
    • referring anaphorically to the cedars (v. 5b)
    • referring cataphorically to the mountains of Lebanon and Sirion (v. 6b)
• See The Grammar of Ps. 29:6 for a full discussion of the grammar of this verse.

v. 7

• The grammar of this clause is closely related to the semantics. See discussion here.

v. 8

v. 9

v. 10

v. 11

Full diagram (vv. 1-11)